Heading into this offseason, one of the main focuses for the Los Angeles Lakers was the center position and they addressed it by adding Walker Kessler, Sandro Mamukelashvili and Kevon Looney.
Mamukelashvili, in particular, adds an interesting wrinkle to head coach JJ Redick’s offense with his ability to do a little bit of everything offensively. Currently, the newest Lakers forward/center is representing his country of Georgia and dropped 20 points, six rebounds and six assists in an international friendly against Israel:
Sandro Mamukelashvili highlights in the win against Israel:
20 PTS | 6 REB | 6 AST | 3 STL
(Via: GioArena/YT) pic.twitter.com/fFCm8Nv03o
— LakersMuse (@LALMuse) August 24, 2026
Mostly known for his ability to space the floor, Mamukelashvili showcased that against Israel along with some nice passes leading to assists. Los Angeles has not a center of this style since Marc Gasol in 2021, when he operated as a facilitating, floor spacer.
Redick wanted high IQ players on his team heading into this season and the 27-year-old appears to be someone that will receive a lot of freedom to create. Additionally, Mamukelashvili possesses flexibility as he can play next to someone like a Kessler or operate as a small-ball center by himself.
With just a couple of months until the Lakers’ season opener against the Golden State Warriors, it is good to see new members of the team having success in their overseas ventures. Mamukelashvili attended Luka Doncic’s team bonding trip in Slovenian before this friendly match, which bodes well for his commitment to wanting to be there for his new team.
Mamukelashvili will compete with Georgia in FIBA World Cup qualifiers in the coming weeks, and the win over Israel was their first tuneup.
Sandro Mamukelashvili explains what Lakers fans can expect from him
After undergoing a massive roster shakeup, Lakers fans must be wondering how this new-look team will perform.
Mamukelashvili, in particular, is still a bit of an unknown across the league as he popped for the Toronto Raptors last year in a backup role to earn this contract. Stepping into the bright lights of Los Angeles, the newest Lakers forward/center explained what fans can expect from him this upcoming season.
“What you can expect from me on the court is hustle. Never giving up,” Mamukelashvili said via the Lakers YouTube channel. “Making sure I don’t take possessions off. Play hard, make the right decisions, but at the same time, just somebody who embraces being a Laker. Understanding how big it is to be a part of this big family. I want to win a championship, so every day I’ll come out there and play hard and try everything to get us as close to that as possible.”
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